Masterpiece adopts trick live axle set-up

Masterpiece Caravans is set to release a new hardcore off-road caravan featuring the cutting-edge ‘CrzrVan’ chassis with live axles and airbag suspension that debuted in 2019.

Announced earlier this month, the Masterpiece Optimum CRZR Edition will be the latest Victorian-built caravan model to feature the trick live axle airbag suspension set-up, that allows the water tanks to be tucked up higher than usual for improved weight distribution and ground clearance compared to a more traditional trailing arm set-up.

Developed by Shepparton, Victoria-based Crzr Industries, the bespoke CrzrVan chassis is a “super strong” 150x50x3mm steel structure with a “one piece member front to back” according to founder Rhys Conti.

It combines fully-adjustable Air Ride suspension delivering up to 200mm of travel, with Cruisemaster axles and brakes, Superior Engineering remote reservoirs, and radius arms, bump stops and panhard rods from the Toyota 79 Series.

Conti said the CRZR chassis supplied to Masterpiece Caravans has been developed specifically for the Melbourne caravan builder's large tandem axle off-road models, and boasts full black polymer coated chassis protection, plus "massive A-frame and supports" to allow a 4500kg ATM rating.

"We've worked closely with Masterpiece to create this chassis to suit their models," Conti said.

The cutting-edge CRZR chassis was originally fitted to a range of premium full composite CRZRVan models and bare-boned toy haulers, but Conti is now making it available to caravan buyers at a more affordable price by offering it to a mainstream manufacturer.

The first Masterpiece Optimum CRZR Edition vans are expected to roll out of the Campbellfield, Victoria factory later this year, and be on display at selected dealerships by early-2022.

Along with the adoption of the latest CRZR chassis, Masterpiece Caravans is also rolling out a number of other innovations across its touring and off road full-height caravan range.

The six-year Melbourne manufacturer recently completed its '1000th' caravan, a full off-road 20ft 8in Optimum tandem axle van that was built using a new, rot-free construction method.

Instead of a Meranti timber frame with smooth aluminium cladding and marine ply flooring, the latest Masterpiece van features a new German one-piece composite floor, timber-free 'Fibroplast' wall framing and 'Aircell' insulation, to reduce weight and provide improved insulation and water resistance.

Masterpiece Caravans founder Remon Raffaello said the new construction materials helped reduce the Tare weight for that particular model by around 100kg, to 2854kg. He also said they were three times stronger than the traditional 'stick 'n tin' construction.

"It wasn't about reducing weight, it was also about producing something that can be waterproof (and) rot-free," he said on social media.

Raffaello said he was going to keep the special '1000th' van for his own personal use, but is currently building customer vans using the same construction materials.

For the latest updates, visit Masterpiece Caravans.

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